Gates endorses new U.S. bomber project (B-3 'Bingo' Bomber) * Z# T. |0 L/ M& ^" r9 s" uPosted on 2009年9月17日 3:20:49 by NormsRevenge 6 T9 Q+ V/ j3 U7 M ( z T% e8 C7 r2 k) Q7 h5 ANATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates threw his support on Wednesday behind an on-again, off-again plan to develop a new long-range U.S. bomber, citing the military modernization of China. % Q* {. `/ _7 q H. Y9 ^ `"I am committed to seeing the United States has an airborne long-range strike capability," Gates said at an annual conference of the U.S. Air Force Association, an advocacy group. " y3 u1 o$ k- a+ s2 q) V9 [He said the United States should be less concerned with a toe-to-toe challenge from "countries like China" and "more concerned with their ability to disrupt our freedom of movement and narrow our strategic options." ! g7 }0 [- S5 c: H/ v3 A; MGates referred to investments that "could threaten America's primary way to project power and help allies in the Pacific - in particular our forward air bases and carrier strike groups." He cited the threat from cyber- and anti-satellite warfare, anti-air and anti-ship weaponry as well as ballistic missiles.- d& g1 r# V: ]# E* f' O" O' o0 x "This would degrade the effectiveness of short-range fighters and put more of a premium on being able to strike from over the horizon - whatever form that capability might take," Gates said.3 ]5 C7 o$ Z* H' d; i; b0 D5 U As recently as April, Gates pulled the plug on a potential $15 billion effort to build a new bomber to follow the radar-evading B-2, designed by Northrop Grumman Corp in the 1980s. 6 g+ P2 G* V! B"We will not pursue a development program for a follow-on Air Force bomber until we have a better understanding of the need, the requirement, and the technology," Gates said on April 6 while outlining his priorities for the fiscal 2010 defense budget.! F/ \' d5 Z$ q+ f( Y0 e! M He said at the time the issue would be examined as part of the Quadrennial Defense Review, the Pentagon's blueprint for the next four years. ( k+ l3 C# r d& G2 E2 qIn endorsing a follow-on bomber on Wednesday, "a prospective B-3, if you will," Gates noted the congressionally mandated review was still under way. |